Access to reception centres by third parties

Portugal

Country Report: Access to reception centres by third parties Last updated: 12/05/23

Author

Portuguese Refugee Council Visit Website

The Asylum Act provides for the right of access to reception centres and other reception facilities for family members, legal advisers, UNHCR, CPR, and other refugee-assisting NGOs recognised by the State for the provision of assistance to asylum seekers.[1]

The internal regulation of CACR provides for the right of unaccompanied children to receive visits from family and friends upon approval by the Family and Juvenile Court. The internal regulation of CAR provides for a general right to visits upon authorisation of the Director of the Centre.

In practice, asylum seekers accommodated at CAR and CACR benefit from legal assistance from CPR’s staff (see Regular Procedure: Legal Assistance) as well as from information and facilitation of contacts and meetings with lawyers at appeal stage. Such meetings can either take place at the reception centres or at the lawyers’ offices, in the presence of a representative of CPR in the case of unaccompanied children.

 

 

 

[1] Article 59(4) Asylum Act.

Table of contents

  • Statistics
  • Overview of the legal framework
  • Overview of the main changes since the previous report update
  • Asylum Procedure
  • Reception Conditions
  • Detention of Asylum Seekers
  • Content of International Protection
  • ANNEX I – Transposition of the CEAS in national legislation